10 Signs the Car Accident was More Serious Than You Thought
Brain injuries can occur in even the simplest fender benders. When you were at the scene of the accident, you may have felt perfectly fine. It was just a minor bump!
Eventually, you realize that the accident may have been more serious than you initially thought. Sometimes, signs and symptoms of serious head injury show up days or even weeks after the initial injury. If you have experienced even a minor car accident, make sure you are on the lookout for these key signs of serious injury. Such signs occurred in the case of an 18-year-old cyclist who died seven weeks after a car struck him. More than 5.3 million Americans currently suffer from the effects of head injuries. 15 percent of even mild traumatic brain injury victims will experience symptoms for a year or more following their injury.
Sign #1: You Are Sleepy
If you are suddenly struggling to keep your eyes open through a large portion of the day, it could be a sign that you have experienced a serious brain injury. While it is normal to feel a little tired and sore the day after an accident, tiredness that persists for more than a couple of days or severe sleepiness that isn’t warranted by other factors can be a sign that you are trying to recover from a serious head injury. Difficulty awakening, especially abnormal difficulty waking up, can also be a sign of a serious head injury.
Sign #2: You Lose Your Memory
Everyone has moments when they struggle to remember what they have done with their keys or they walk out of the house without their phone. If you are suddenly more forgetful than usual or you forget things that you should know solidly, from phone numbers that have been stored in your brain for years to familiar contacts’ names, it could be a sign of a traumatic head injury.
Sign #3: You Are Having Problems with Motor Control
A little stiffness and soreness the day after an accident is perfectly normal. Struggling to control your limbs, however, is not. If you are afraid that your body simply is not doing what you are asking it to do or you have noticed tremors in your hands, feet, or limbs, you should consult with your doctor immediately.
Sign #4: You’re Struggling to Find Words
It is normal to occasionally lose track of exactly which word you want to use in a given situation. If you have noticed that this behavior has increased in frequency. However, it could be a sign that you were injured more seriously in your accident than you initially thought. Tripping over your own tongue or losing track of your speech patterns can all be serious signs that you have experienced a traumatic brain injury.
Sign #5: You’re Confused
It feels as though the world is upside down and nothing is going quite the way you think it should. You are struggling to make heads or tails of normal, everyday activities. Mental confusion is a serious sign of traumatic brain injury. While some confusion may be normal while you’re dealing with insurance companies, consulting auto repair companies, and trying to get things back to normal after your accident, if you find that you are confused in situations you would normally have been able to navigate without a problem, it is important to mention those symptoms to your doctor.
Sign #6: You’re Anxious
For some people, anxiety is the norm, especially following a traumatic event. If that anxiety is increasing, rather than settling down, or if you are more anxious than normal, do not write off these worries to post-accident struggle! Instead, consult with your doctor about whether the anxiety could be a symptom of a traumatic brain injury.
Sign #7: You’re Unusually Restless
You cannot sit still no matter what is going on. Activities that you would normally enjoy, from sitting down and reading a book to watching a full movie or playing a favorite video game, are not enough to hold your attention. Instead, you find yourself restlessly wandering from activity to activity, struggling to settle down long enough to accomplish even a simple task. If that feeling of restlessness lasts long-term or if you feel that it is significant, it could be a sign of traumatic brain injury.
Sign #8: Your Attention Span Fades
You have no idea what your boss just said, in spite of the fact that he or she has only been talking to you for a few minutes. Your spouse has been trying to get your attention for several minutes, but you keep losing track of what he or she is saying. Even watching a movie seems like far too much effort for your wandering mind. While some people struggle with attention issues on a regular basis, the sudden emergence of attention issues could be a serious sign of traumatic brain injury—and one that you should not ignore.
Sign #9: Headaches, Blurred Vision, and Other Physical Symptoms
In some cases, the signs of a traumatic brain injury are not limited to behavioral or mental symptoms. For some patients, the most noticeable symptoms may be physical: headaches, especially those that are worse than the ones you normally suffer; blurred vision; a tense, stiff neck. If you are dealing with any of these symptoms, especially if they are persisting for several days after the crash, it is important to carefully consider the possibility of traumatic brain injury.
Sign #10: Personality Changes
Are you starting to notice behavior that is out of character for you, or have your loved ones commented that your behavior is not normal? Personality challenges following a head injury can include increased aggression, depression, acting out, and a decreased ability to read social cues. These simple symptoms can have serious impact, especially if they continue over time.
If you believe that you have suffered a more severe injury than you initially suspected, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you consult with your doctor, the sooner you can receive the medical treatment that will help you get things settled back to normal. The symptoms of traumatic brain injury can decrease with time, but they can also worsen, leading to further problems without treatment. Remember, even minor fender benders can lead to serious injury. More than a third of traumatic brain injuries across all age groups are the result of auto accidents.
Call the Dolman Law Group if You Suffered a Brain Injury
If you suspect that you might have been injured more seriously than you initially suspected, seek medical attention immediately. Then, contact us at (727) 451-6900 or contact us online. While no case is identical and we guarantee no particular outcome or course of action, we may in some circumstances be able to advise you, represent you, or even help you collect the compensation to which you are entitled.
Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-451-6900
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/florida-brain-injury-lawyer/
